Clipper Darrell drama: A timeline

Darrell Bailey, better known as "Clipper Darrell," had a very public split with the team Wednesday, culminating with the revelation that he'll no longer use the team nickname as his own. Click through the photos for a time line of the rise and demise of Clipper Darrell.PHOTO BY ARMANDO BROWN; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The Clippers and one of their most high profile fans got into a public spat Wednesday, forcing the Internet to take notice and pick sides.

Darrell Bailey, known exclusively as "Clipper Darrell" to NBA players and fans, and the team came to an agreement where Bailey would no longer use the Clipper name.

Things, predictably, got ugly once word got out.

In order to best trace the trajectory of this story, I poured over interview footage of Bailey, doing my best to determine how he became Clipper Darrell, and ultimately, how he became Internet Martyr Darrell.

Click on the photo for a look at the rise and fall of the Clippers' self-proclaimed biggest fan.

Darrell Bailey, better known as "Clipper Darrell," had a very public split with the team Wednesday, culminating with the revelation that he'll no longer use the team nickname as his own. Click through the photos for a time line of the rise and demise of Clipper Darrell. PHOTO BY ARMANDO BROWN; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER1992-ish

Darrell Bailey is an electrician, working for some company (not "The Electric Company") when he gets fired by a boss who tells him he'll never amount to anything. PHOTO BY THE AP; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER1992-ish

Darrell Bailey goes home after getting canned. Depressed, he pops on the TV and the Clippers are on. He decided to "ride or die" with the team. Thankfully, Bailey didn't tune into Full House that night, or he'd be following John Stamos around. PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER1992-ish

Darrell Bailey takes in the Clippers in person and becomes a Clipper fanatic. He'll be with the team much longer than the coach at the time, Larry Brown, who somehow was with a NBA team long enough to be captured on film. PHOTO BY THE AP; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER1992-ish

While at a Clippers game, Darrell Bailey begins to dance when 2 Unlimited's 90's club anthem "Get Ready" plays. He gets put on the scoreboard, and the crowd, in Bailey's words, "goes nuts." He comes back the next game, and when the same song plays, the cameras find him again. He dances, and "Dancing Man" is born. PHOTO FROM AMAZON.COM; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER??????

At some point, "Dancing Man" becomes too tired of a nickname for 1540 AM's Dave Smith, who decides Bailey needs a better nickname. After tons of focus groups and sleepless nights, Smith comes up with "Clipper Darrell." PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER1992-present

Clipper Darrell becomes the definitive voice at games, mostly because he's louder than everyone else and never seems to lose his voice. His chants, while not original, somehow get tied to him like "U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi." In 2005, Darrell steps up his wardrobe by wearing half red, half blue suits to every game. Also, Craig Sager gets jealous. PHOTO BY AP; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER2008

Impressed by the fact that he, um, really cheers hard for the Clippers, bored rich guy Mark Cuban tries to buy Clipper Darrell's services as a fan. Darrell turns down becoming "Dallas Darrell" because he hates alliteration. PHOTO BY THE AP; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER2009-Feb. 2012

Clipper Darrell's patience pays off as the team wins the right to draft Blake Griffin. First the team gets exciting and then a chain of events starts that brings Chris Paul to Los Angeles and ultimately, costs Chauncey Billups his Achilles tendon. Still, dude finally gets to root for a winner. PHOTO BY THE AP; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTERMid February, 2012

Slideshow savants "Bleacher Report" request credentials to a Clippers home game to get Clipper Darrell's thoughts on the 10 best beards ever to pitch for the Montreal Expos or some other thing, and they're denied. Clipper Darrell gets miffed and calls Clipper execs and eventually meets with them. What happens from there is pure he said/he said, but somehow, he walks out of the room as Darrell Bailey, once again. PHOTO FROM 123RF.COM; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTERWednesday afternoon

Clipper Darrell heads to Twitter, and the story breaks. Not like anyone important will see though, right? SCREENGRAB AND TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTERWednesday afternoon

Minutes later, this happens. Clippers execs all do spit takes at the same time. SCREENGRAB AND TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTERWednesday afternoon

Mutiny!!!! SCREENGRAB AND TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTERWednesday afternoon

The Clippers' own players hate the move, setting off a frenzy of Clipper bashing on Twitter. Things got so bad, I had to double check to make sure the team didn't re-draft Michael OIowakandi. SCREENGRAB AND TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER3:38 p.m. Wednesday

The Clippers release an official statement on the matter, verbally Mozgov'ing Bailey by saying, "He is not actually a fan of the Clippers, but a fan of what he can make off of the Clippers." BOOM! PHOTO BY AP; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTERWednesday night

Former Clipper Chris Kaman reaches out to Unaffiliated Darrell on Twitter, saying "at least you got a phone call." PHOTO BY THE AP; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER2 a.m., Thursday

"Clipper Darrell" continues to trend on Twitter, outlasting deceased Monkees' frontman Davy Jones and the hashtag "#YourManIsCheatinIf" as one of the most talked about things in the world. PHOTO BY ARMANDO BROWN; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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